This Sunday marks the halfway point for December, which means that we’ll be just about two weeks from New Year’s Eve and then . . . somehow it’ll be 2025. A quarter of a century down, three more to go—if we live that long. In any case, we have serial killers, space marines and magical Colombian villages to explore in this weekend’s streaming guide. There’s some new animation to enjoy from the makers of Love, Death & Robots, an ambitious adaptation of one of the most important literary works of the last century, and lots more.
Every week, I search high and low for the best (and sometimes worst) shows and movies for you to watch (or avoid), some of which I’ve seen but plenty I haven’t. This is a guide for you and for me, as I like to stay on top of everything coming out and it’s just so easy to miss new shows and movies. If I miss anything in this guide, please don’t hesitate to send me a tip on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
Alright, let’s dive right in!
You can check out last weekend’s streaming guide right here.
What’s New & Notable This Weekend (12/13/24)
100 Years Of Solitude (Netflix)
Based on one of the most important novels of the 20th century, 100 Years Of Solitude is a lush, beautifully filmed adaptation. I’m only a little ways into the 8-episode Part 1 (a second 8 episode half-season releases at an unspecified date) but I’m already entranced. Check it out.
Carry-On (Netflix)
Taron Egerton stars in this flight-based terrorism thriller. Egerton plays TSA agent Ethan Kopek who is blackmailed into bringing a dangerous carry-on bag onto a flight—or watch his girlfriend get executed. The bad guy is played by normally nice guy, Jason Bateman. This follows very much in the tradition of Die Hard as action-thriller dressed up as Christmas movie. It’s getting pretty good reviews, too!
Secret Level (Prime Video)
Secret Level is a collection of video game-themed animated short films from the creators of Love, Death & Robots, the hit animated anthology on Netflix. This one is on Prime Video and has a lot of familiar games that it draws on, from D&D to Warhammer 40k. The quality of each short varies a lot, and the selection is kind of odd. I was surprised to see Sifu get its own episode given that’s a pretty small, unknown game compared to PAC-MAN. It’s also hilarious that Concord—one of gaming’s most galling failures—has its own episode. The game didn’t even stick around long enough to be here when the show came out! This lone episode will have a longer lifespan than Concord the game. 8 episodes are out now. The remaining 7 come out next Tuesday.
Dexter: Original Sin (Paramount+)
I’m not sure how to feel about yet another Dexter spinoff, this one a prequel explaining—as prequels do—how Dexter became Dexter, something that was effectively already explained in the main show, in about the amount of time we needed. I’ll have to watch the premiere and see if it’s worth diving back into the Dexter-verse. The Dexter Extended Universe?
No Good Deed (Netflix)
From the creator of Dead To Me, a dark comedy about a middle-aged married couple in Southern California attempting to sell their home. Dark secrets, cutthroat buyers and more make this sound a bit soapy, but possibly a fun binge.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (In Theaters)
I’m going to wait until this animated Lord of the Rings anime is out on streaming as it really just doesn’t look like something worth seeing on the big screen. It’s getting decent reviews, though audiences (84%) are far more upbeat than critics (52%) about this prequel. I’m just not sure I love this style of animation for Lord of the Rings. I’d rather see Western 2D animation, though that’s just personal bias.
Joker: Folie à Deux (Max)
Joker’s poorly-received sequel is finally on streaming. You can watch the musical follow-up to the brilliant first film on Max. Since I never went to this in theaters, I plan on watching it soon. It’s a musical, and by all accounts not a very good one, but I like musicals and frankly this sounds like a reasonably subversive movie that could be quite thought-provoking.
Conclave (Peacock)
With a 93% critic score and 86% audience score, Conclave is the stuff Oscar dreams are made of. It’s a mystery thriller that takes place after the death of Pope Gregory XVII. The College of Cardinals comes together for a papal conclave to choose a new pope—and things go spectacularly wrong.
Bonus: Jane The Virgin (Prime Video)
I’ve been burning through the first season of Jane The Virgin recently (which I purchased on Prime Video) and it’s just fantastic. It’s a rom-com mystery that’s basically an American parody/homage to telenovelas. Gina Rodriguez plays Jane—a virgin who gets pregnant by mistake (I don’t want to spoil it)—and she’s so, so charming in the role. I have a massive crush, no doubt. The rest of the cast is great also and really lovable and it’s a fun melodramatic mystery with lots of twists and turns. I’m reminded endlessly of Bad Monkey, right down to the entertaining narrator and recaps. If you missed this show when it came out (debuting way back in 2014) do yourself a favor and give it a watch.
What I’m Watching Weekly
Instead of doing an entire section on what’s currently streaming with trailers and all the rest—which can make these posts overly-long and bulky—I thought I’d just do a rundown of some of the shows that I’m currently following, some of which I’m behind on or not sure I’ll keep watching.
I started the spy thriller Black Doves on Netflix but I keep getting tired and sleepy whenever I watch it and I think the show feels too slick and empty to keep my attention. A glossy, hollow, not very gripping spy drama that’s tonally very hard to pin down, but not in a good way, despite its great cast.
I’ve been pretty impressed with Skeleton Crew on Disney+. The new Star Wars show has been billed as “The Goonies in space” which is pretty accurate, though it’s not as good as that movie. Still, Episode 3 brought Jude Law’s character, Crimson Jack, into the mix and he’s really helped the series find its stride. Honestly, he’s already one of my favorite Disney-era Star Wars characters. I like how this show is just a fun adventure without a whiff of preachiness.
I’m also still catching up on Rivals (Hulu/Disney+) which continues to be one of my favorite things on TV thanks to a strong cast and some very steamy scenes. The show follows the showbiz shenanigans of the rich and famous in 1980s UK and it’s a ton of fun so far.
I’m a little behind on Outlander. It’s a show that I really do genuinely like, but which also annoys me with its constant melodrama that can make some characters really feel like they’re stuck in a loop. Claire, in particular, just drives me crazy at times. And I’m irritated that their sojourn in Scotland was so short!
I’m also enjoying the last few episodes of Shrinking on Apple TV. Season 2 isn’t as good as Season 1, but I like the characters enough that I’m not too bothered by it. Oh and Silo continues to be great on Apple TV, though I’m an episode or two behind there also. Busy times!
Finally, Dune: Prophecy will air its fifth and penultimate episode this Sunday and I just don’t have any clue how they’re supposed to get me to care about any of it with just two more episodes and not a single likable or relatable character!
What are you watching, dearest readers? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
Further Reading From Yours Truly:
